People who will not get Emergency Alert on their mobile this weekend - full list
A national test of the Emergency Alert system is taking place on Sunday, September 7, with a siren and vibration lasting around ten seconds, or until the user switches the alert off
The UK's Emergency Alert system is set for a nationwide test this weekend - with millions of devices across the country expected to receive an alarm.
The government aims to ensure the system is functioning properly and can effectively notify people in real emergencies. This isn't the first time; the system was previously tested on a national scale in April 2023 and has been used five times since in emergency situations like Storm Darragh in December 2024, which brought dangerous wind gusts to parts of the UK.
During the 2023 test, some mobile phones on the Three network failed to receive the alert, prompting the government to pledge to fix the issue to ensure everyone gets the alert.
This Sunday, September 7, the alert will sound a siren at 3pm and vibrate for about ten seconds or until the user turns it off. While individuals can opt out by adjusting their phone settings, most are advised to keep the service active for real emergencies.
However, domestic abuse charities have warned victims with hidden phones to disable the alarm to prevent alerting abusers to the device. The government has issued a warning to Brits, advising them not to read or respond to emergency alerts while driving. Instead, they should find a safe and legal place to stop before reading the message.
The alert is designed to be sent to all compatible devices, but there may be instances where some devices do not receive it, reports the Manchester Evening News. Those with devices that don't connect to 4G or 5G networks, as well as those with older phones, may not receive the alert.
The emergency alert system operates by using phone masts to ping all compatible mobile phones within their range. It does not require the government to know your location or phone number, and no personal data is collected or stored by the system.
This means that anyone who is out of the country will not receive the alert; only those within range of a UK mobile phone mast will. Emergency alerts work on all 4G and 5G phone networks in the UK. However, there are several reasons why your phone may not receive the alert, even if you are within range and have the alerts switched on.
Phones that are compatible with Emergency Alerts include:
- Switched off
- Connected to 2G or 3G (rather than 4G or 5G)
- A Wi-fi only device
- Not compatible
If you have an earlier version of Android, you may still be able to get the alerts. To check, search your device settings for 'emergency alerts'.
Other mobiles that don't run on iOS or Android might also receive alerts. However, if your mobile is set to Airplane mode when the alert is sent, you may not receive it.
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